Mothering. It has defined me, reshaped me, rewired me.

I struggle to remember what I thought was involved in maintaining my professional passions and also keep a small human alive before I was a mother myself. I do regretfully recall being understanding yet not really understanding why colleagues laughed about losing sleep, having a newfound appreciation for (or dread of) travel, why there was an overwhelming sense of resign and lost control.

What I didn’t understand until I’ve made it to the “other side” myself, is the beauty and power in that lost control. That for every sleepless night and subsequently overcaffinated work day, there is the overarching ability to understand the bigger picture, to understand and manage and accept risk in a more efficient way, to appreciate each person for their strengths which likely had been part of their tiny selves since birth. I didn’t understand before having kids how boundaries define all relationships, and the ability that we can heal and be healed as we parent and lead. I even learned about emotions, and how to accept them and lead through them. About what it looks like to set values and lead to them.

I learned how to pay attention to my own needs, and tap into the network of others who have gone through this season before me, in parenting but also in work life.

To all who are caregivers, life givers, and mothers: thank you.